Nor yet the restless crown had been By the stern justice of the sword! And that same Banner on whose breast And sunshine to a dangerous strife; It came; and Francis Norton said, "O Father! rise not in this fray, The hairs are white upon your head ; Dear Father, hear me when I say It is for you too late a day! Bethink you of your own good name : A just and gracious queen have we, A pure religion, and the claim Of peace on our humanity. – 'Tis meet that I endure your scorn; I am your son, your eldest born; But not for lordship or for land, My Father, do I clasp your knees; And live at home in blameless ease; Tumultuous noises filled the hall; And scarcely could the Father hear That name, pronounced with a dying fall, The name of his only Daughter dear, As on the Banner which stood near He glanced a look of holy pride, And his moist eyes were glorified; Then did he seize the staff, and say : "Thou, Richard, bear'st thy father's name : Keep thou this ensign till the day When I of thee require the same: Thy place be on my better hand; Will cleave to this good cause and me.” Thus, with his sons, when forth he came, The sight was hailed with loud acclaim, And din of arms and minstrelsy, From all his warlike tenantry, All horsed and harnessed with him to ride, A voice to which the hills replied! But Francis, in the vacant hall, Stood silent under dreary weight,A phantasm, in which roof and wall Shook, tottered, swam before his sight; A phantasm like a dream of night! Thus overwhelmed, and desolate, He found his way to a postern-gate; And when he waked, his languid eye Was on the calm and silent sky, With air about him breathing sweet, And earth's green grass beneath his feet; Nor did he fail erelong to hear A sound of military cheer, Faint but it reached that sheltered spot; He heard, and it disturbed him not. There stood he, leaning on a lance Which he had grasped unknowingly, Had blindly grasped in that strong trance, That dimness of heart-agony ; There stood he, cleansed from the despair The past he calmly hath reviewed: Of this brave man, when he shall see He saw her where in open view She sat beneath the spreading yew, Her head upon her lap, concealing This to himself, — and to the Maid, Whom now he had approached, he said: "Gone are they, — they have their desire; And I with thee one hour will stay, To give thee comfort if I may." She heard, but looked not up, nor spake; And sorrow moved him to partake Her silence; then his thoughts turned round, And fervent words a passage found. "Gone are they, bravely, though misled; With a dear Father at their head! The Sons obey a natural lord ; The Father had given solemn word Still stronger bends him to his course. In deep and awful channel runs There were they all in circle, there And those bright Twins were side by side; "Then be we, each and all, forgiven! And smiles, that dared to take their place, Be thou then satisfied in heart! |